Brian Friel Plays 2 (10 page)

Maggie
They’re dancing round the garden, Aggie.

Kate
Oh God, what sort of fool is she?

Maggie
He’s a beautiful dancer, isn’t he?

Kate
He’s leading her astray again, Maggie.

Maggie
Look at her face – she’s easy led. Come here till you see, Aggie.

Agnes
I’m busy! For God’s sake can’t you see I’m busy!

Maggie
turns
and
looks
at
her
in
amazement.

Kate
That’s the only thing that Evans creature could ever do well – was dance. (
Pause.
)
And look at her, the fool. For God’s sake, would you look at that fool of a woman? (
Pause.
)
Her whole face alters when she’s happy, doesn’t it? (
Pause.
)
They dance so well together. They’re such a beautiful couple. (
Pause.
)
She’s as beautiful as Bernie O’Donnell any day, isn’t she?

Maggie
moves
slowly
away
from
the
window
and
sits
motionless.

Gerry
Do you know the words?

Chris
I never know any words.

Gerry
Neither do I. Doesn’t matter. This is more
important. (
Pause
.)
Marry me, Chrissie. (
Pause
.)
Are you listening to me?

Chris
I hear you.

Gerry
Will you marry me when I come back in two weeks?

Chris
I don’t think so, Gerry.

Gerry
I’m mad about you. You know I am. I’ve always been mad about you.

Chris
When you’re with me.

Gerry
Leave this house and come away with –

Chris
But you’d walk out on me again. You wouldn’t intend to but that’s what would happen because that’s your nature and you can’t help yourself.

Gerry
Not this time, Chrissie. This time it will be –

Chris
Don’t talk any more; no more words. Just dance me down the lane and then you’ll leave.

Gerry
Believe me, Chrissie; this time the omens are terrific! The omens are unbelievable this time!

They
dance
off.
After
they
have
exited
the
music
continues
for
a
few
seconds
and
then
stops
suddenly
in
mid-phrase.
Maggie
goes
to
the
set,
slaps
it,
turns
it
off.
Kate
moves
away
from
the
window.

Kate
They’re away. Dancing.

Maggie
Whatever’s wrong with it, that’s all it seems to last – a few minutes at a time. Something to do with the way it heats up.

Kate
We probably won’t see Mr Evans for another year – until the humour suddenly takes him again.

Agnes
He has a Christian name.

Kate
And in the meantime it’s Christina’s heart that gets crushed again. That’s what I mind. But what really infuriates me is that the creature has no sense of ordinary duty. Does he ever wonder how she clothes and feeds Michael? Does he ask her? Does he care?

Agnes
rises
and
goes
to
the
back
door.

Agnes
Going out to get my head cleared. Bit of a headache all day.

Kate
Seems to me the beasts of the field have more concern for their young than that creature has.

Agnes
Do you ever listen to yourself, Kate? You are such a damned righteous bitch! And his name is Gerry! – Gerry! – Gerry! (
Now
on
the
point
of
tears,
she
runs
off
.)

Kate
And what was that all about?

Maggie
Who’s to say?

Kate
Don’t I know his name is Gerry? What am I calling him? – St Patrick?

Maggie
She’s worried about Chris, too.

Kate
You see, that’s what a creature like Mr Evans does: appears out of nowhere and suddenly poisons the atmosphere in the whole house – God forgive him, the bastard! There! That’s what I mean! God forgive me!

Maggie
begins
putting
on
her
long-laced
boots
again.
As
she
does
she
sings
listlessly,
almost
inaudibly:

Maggie

Kate
If you knew your prayers as well as you know the
words of those aul pagan songs! … She’s right: I am a righteous bitch, amn’t I?

Maggie

She
now
stands
up
and
looks
at
her
feet.

Now. Who’s for a fox-trot?

Kate
You work hard at your job. You try to keep the home together. You perform your duties as best you can – because you believe in responsibilities and obligations and good order. And then suddenly, suddenly you realize that hair cracks are appearing everywhere; that control is slipping away; that the whole thing is so fragile it can’t be held together much longer. It’s all about to collapse, Maggie.

Maggie
(
wearily
)
Nothing’s about to collapse, Kate.

Kate
That young Sweeney boy from the back hills – the boy who was anointed – his trousers didn’t catch fire, as Rose said. They were doing some devilish thing with a goat – some sort of sacrifice for the Lughnasa Festival; and Sweeney was so drunk he toppled over into the middle of the bonfire. Don’t know why that came into my head …

Maggie
Kate …

Maggie
goes
to
her
and
sits
beside
her.

Kate
And Mr Evans is off again for another twelve months and next week or the week after Christina’ll collapse into one of her depressions. Remember last winter? – all that sobbing and lamenting in the middle of the night. I don’t think I could go through that again. And the doctor says he doesn’t think Father Jack’s mind is
confused but that his superiors probably had no choice but send him home. Whatever he means by that, Maggie. And the parish priest did talk to me today. He said the numbers in the school are falling and that there may not be a job for me after the summer. But the numbers aren’t falling, Maggie. Why is he telling me lies? Why does he want rid of me? And why has he never come out to visit Father Jack? (
She tries to laugh
.) If he gives me the push, all five of us will be at home together all day long – we can spend the day dancing to Marconi.

Now
she
cries.
Maggie
puts
her
arm
around
her.
Michael
enters
left.

But what worries me most of all is Rose. If I died – if I lost my job – if this house were broken up – what would become of our Rosie?

Maggie
Shhh.

Kate
I must put my trust in God, Maggie, mustn’t I? He’ll look after her, won’t he? You believe that, Maggie, don’t you?

Maggie
Kate … Kate … Kate, love …

Kate
I believe that, too … I believe that … I do believe that …

Maggie
holds
her
and
rocks
her.

Chris
enters
quickly
left,
hugging
herself.
She
sees
the
boy
at
his
kites,
goes
to
him
and
gets
down
beside
him.
She
speaks
eagerly,
excitedly,
confidentially.

Chris
Well. Now you’ve had a good look at him. What do you think of him? Do you remember him?

Boy
(
bored
) I never saw him before.

Chris
Shhh. Yes, you did; five or six times. You’ve forgotten. And he saw you at the foot of the lane. He
thinks you’ve got very big. And he thinks you’re handsome!

Boy
Aunt Kate got me a spinning-top that won’t spin.

Chris
He’s handsome. Isn’t he handsome?

Boy
Give up.

Chris
I’ll tell you a secret. The others aren’t to know. He has got a great new job! And he’s wonderful at it!

Boy
What does he do?

Chris
Shhh. And he has bought a bicycle for you – a black bike – a man’s bike and he’s going to bring it with him the next time he comes. (
She
suddenly
embraces
him
and
hugs
him
.)

Boy
Is he coming back soon?

Chris
(
eyes closed
) Maybe – maybe. Yes! Yes, he is!

Boy
How soon?

Chris
Next week – the week after – soon – soon – soon! Oh, yes, you have a handsome father. You are a lucky boy and I’m a very, very lucky woman. (
She
gets
to
her
feet,
then
bends
down
again
and
kisses
him
lightly
.) And another bit of good news for you, lucky boy: you have your mother’s eyes! (
She
laughs,
pirouettes
flirtatiously
before
him
and
dances
into
the
kitchen
.) And what’s the good news here?

Maggie
The good news here is … that’s the most exciting turf we’ve ever burned!

Kate
Gerry’s not gone, is he?

Chris
Just this minute.

Agnes
enters
through
the
back
door.
She
is
carrying
some
roses.

He says to thank you very much for the offer of the bed.

Kate
Next time he’s back.

Chris
That’ll be in a week or two – depending on his commitments.

Kate
Well, if the outside loft happens to be empty.

Chris
And he sends his love to you all. His special love to you, Aggie; and a big kiss.

Agnes
For me?

Chris
Yes! For you!

Maggie
(
quickly
) Those are beautiful, Aggie. Would Jack like some in his room? Put them on his windowsill with a wee card – ‘ROSES’ – so that the poor man’s head won’t be demented looking for the word. And now, girls, the daily dilemma: what’s for tea?

Chris
Let me make the tea, Maggie.

Maggie
We’ll both make the tea. Perhaps something thrilling with tomatoes? We’ve got two, I think. Or if you’re prepared to wait, I’ll get that soda-bread made.

Agnes
I’m making the tea, Maggie.

Chris
Let me, please. Just today.

Agnes
(
almost aggressively
) I make the tea every evening, don’t I? Why shouldn’t I make it this evening as usual?

Maggie
No reason at all. Aggie’s the chef. (
Sings
raucously
:)

Kate
Maggie, please!

Maggie
If she knew her prayers half as well as she knows the words of those aul pagan songs … (
now at the radio
) Marconi, my friend, you’re not still asleep, are you?

Father
Jack
enters.
He
shuffles
quickly
across
the
kitchen
floor,
hands
behind
his
back,
eyes
on
the
ground,
as
if
he
were
intent
on
some
engagement
elsewhere.
Now
he
becomes
aware
of
the
others.